Is this South Tyneside’s worst neighbour? Pregnant mum’s joy after eviction

Chris Maxwell

A pregnant mum who was driven out of her home by a three-year campaign of harassment by a nightmare neighbour has told of her joy that he has been evicted by council chiefs.

Gillian Holmes and her autistic son’s lives were made a “living hell” by a barrage of booze-fuelled abuse and threats from Terence Miller.

I hope I never see him again.

Gillian Holmes

The 35-year-old, who is due to give birth in three weeks, moved away from her home next door to Miller in Windsor Crescent, Hebburn, last month because she didn’t want her unborn child to have to put up with his anti-social rants.

Miss Holmes says she lived happily alongside Holmes for a decade before he began to target her and other neighbours - resulting him in him being hauled before magistrates and slapped with a restraining order last November.

South Tyneside Magistrates made Miller the subject of a restraining after he hurled abuse at Miss Holmes’ 17-year-old son from the garden of his home.

Miller, 51, was back before the court earlier this month for breaching the order by launching another verbal attack on Miss Holmes.

Despite several warnings and Miller signing a Good Neighbour Agreement promising to change his behaviour, the problems continued and South Tyneside Council threw him out of his home.

Miller was forced out of the property after South Tyneside Council secured a 14 day possession order at South Tyneside County Court.

Miss Holmes has already made a fresh start away from Miller - but is delighted that tough action has been taken against him.

She said: “I am happy that he has finally been evicted but not happy it took so long. This went on for three years.

“We had been neighbours for ten year prior to that and he was really nice but then the drinking took hold of him.

“He would bang on the doors and shout and bawl until two or 3am in the morning. He would threaten me and my son and other neighbours. It was a living hell.”

She added: “The main reason I moved away is I don’t want my child to have to put up with what I have. I just want to make a fresh start now.”

A South Tyneside Council spokesman said: “Despite warnings and guidance to help him comply with the terms of his tenancy agreement, Mr Miller continued to show a complete lack of regard for his neighbours and the local community.

“His behaviour while under the influence of alcohol was having a serious detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing and quality of life of neighbouring residents and this is something we will not tolerate.

“We do not expect our residents to put up with such behaviour from their neighbours and would urge anyone experiencing a similar situation to report it to us so that we can take appropriate action.”